Objective To study the influence of Rhizoma typhonii extract on the growth of glioma SHG-44 cells cultured invitro,and to explore the mechanism of the inhibitory effect of Rhizoma typhonii extract on the growth of glioma cells.Methods The SHG-44 cells were cultured and divided into blank control group and 8, 40, 200, 1 000μg·L-1 Rhizoma typhonii extract groups.The inhibitory effect of Rhizoma typhonii extract on the growth of glioma SHG-44 cells was measured by MTT assay. The secretion levels of Bax and caspase-3 proteins were examined by ELISA assay. The expression level of caspase-3 protein was examined by Western blotting method. Results Compared with blank control group, the inhibitory rates of the growth of SHG-44 cells in 200, 1 000μg·L-1 Rhizoma typhonii extract groups at 24 h,and 8,40,200,and 1 000μg·L-1 Rhizoma typhonii extract groups at 48 h were significantly increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01).The secretion levels of Bax and caspase-3 proteins in 40,200,and 1 000μg· L-1 Rhizoma typhonii extract groups at 48 h were increased compared with blank control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01 ). Compared with blank control group, the expression levels of caspase-3 protein in different doses of Rhizoma typhonii extract groups were increased significantly (P<0.01). Conclusion Rhizoma Typhonii extract can inhibit the growth of cells through up-regulating the expression of Bax protein,increasing the expression level of caspase-3 protein and activating apoptosis pathway.